Increased activity at the Maison de la santé

Since its opening in November 2023, the Maison de la santé has seen a steady increase in activity. This is thanks to the work undertaken by Carole Nardin, health coordinator, and Victoria Gandoulf, health administrative management assistant, who work daily to attract specialists to the island. By 2024, more than 6,000 patients had passed through the doors of the facility located at the Centre Elvina in Saint-Jean. Between January 2025 and the end of June, 4,235 people came to the Maison de la Santé for a consultation. As a result, visitor numbers in 2025 are set to far exceed those of the previous year. This "success" is not due to chance, but to the hard work of our staff.
If patients are more numerous, it's partly due to the occupancy rate of the treatment rooms, which is also on the rise. "But we still have room for other health specialists," assures Carole Nardin. The coordinator points out that the increase in the occupancy rate implies a rise in profits (+68%) for the Collectivité, since the Maison de la santé recovers the rent for the rooms occupied by practitioners for consultations. This sum does not offset the cost of renting the premises (more than 20,000 euros per month), but it does contribute to part of its payment.
The partnership signed with the association of hotels and villas, which enables specialists to be accommodated at reduced rates, also represents an argument in favor of attracting healthcare specialists.
Among the new features, Carole Nardin mentions the introduction of a day dedicated to video-conferencing consultations for diabetic patients. From July 30, a neurologist from Martinique will be available for consultations. "The aim is to have them come once or twice a year," says the health coordinator. At the end of the year, a second psychiatrist will see patients at the Maison de la Santé. In a room with private access, so as to respect visitors' privacy. But the project Carole Nardin feels most strongly about is the dermatology consultations.
For me, it's a priority because it's important for the island," explains the coordinator. The aim is to have an imaging system, which represents a major investment but which can be amortized over five years. That's been my objective from the outset. It takes time, but I'm fighting for it because it makes sense on Saint-Barthélemy. "